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24 November 2014

Miranda Mondays!

A few weeks ago I told you all about this incredibly exciting Miranda Dickinson-related project I am a part of called Team Bea! Team Bea is basically the promotional team for Miranda Dickinson's upcoming wonderful new novel 'I'll Take New York' and several bloggers have hosted Miranda Mondays the past couple of weeks, sharing exciting giveaways and fun facts about the new book. Today, I have such a great post to share with all of you, namely Miranda's own guide to Christmas New York!

1.
Visit a Christmas Market

Visit the Grand Central Station Holiday Fair (87 East 42nd Street)
in the Vanderbilt Hall – what an amazing setting for a market! Jake and Bea
visit Grand Central during one of their New York sightseeing trips (it’s one of
Jake’s favourite places) and although they don’t visit during the Christmas
season, you can bet it’s somewhere they would love. For a fab outdoor market,
head to the Union Square Holiday Market
(14th Street to 17th Street, between Broadway and
University Place, Manhattan), which has over 100 red-and-white stalls selling
everything you could possibly want for Christmas… Or be like Bea and head to
the Christmas Brooklyn Flea (at
Skylight One Hanson, 1 Hanson Place, Fort Greene, Williamsburg) – much beloved
of Bea and Rosie, a quirky market that moves indoors at Christmas with three
floors and over 100 sellers, perfect for unusual gifts and unique Brooklyn
chutzpah.

2.
Skate on a Christmas ice rink

It’s a classic New York sight and there are
several places you can have a festive skate, including the Rockefeller Center
(overlooked by the famous Christmas tree), Prospect Park and the Bank of
America Winter Village at Bryant Park. Of course, Bea’s favourite place to skate
is the Wollman Rink in the centre of Central Park. It’s also known as the Trump
Rink, but Bea can’t bring herself to call it that! She has long dreamed of
skating on the rink after watching the film Serendipity
too many times, but until she meets Jake she’s never experienced it. What
happens when they venture out onto the ice surrounded by New York’s most
beautiful park is one of my favourite scenes in I’ll Take New York…

3.
Visit a Christmas toyshop

It has to be done! You can design your own
Muppet, see the giant piano Tom Hanks made famous in the film Big! and revel in the huge Christmas toy
displays at FAO Schwarz (767 Fifth
Avenue) or stock up on your superhero supplies at Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co (372 Fifth Avenue, between 5th Street
and 6th Street, Brooklyn) which not only is one of the coolest
places in New York but also gives all profits to Dave Eggers’ amazing 826NYC
charity that teaches creative writing to children.

4. Head
to an Outdoor Event

New York comes alive at Christmas and the best
thing to do is to wrap up warm, head out into the snow and get stuck in to the
fun! Watch the lighting of the Rockefeller
Center Christmas Tree (Rockefeller Plaza, West 48th Street to
West 51st Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues,
Manhattan) – a classic New York festive sight with twinkly lights, the ice
rink, famous guests and a Swarovski-star-topped Christmas Tree. Or go to a
neighbourhood event like Winter’s Eve at
Lincoln Square (Lincoln Square, Manhattan) – with live music, tree lighting
in Dante Park, street performers, ice sculptures and an amazing choice of food
from local restaurants.

5.
Grab a Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity3

Bea
James would choose this in a heartbeat! While you
can get hot chocolate all over New York during the festive season, there is
something really special about having one of Serendipity3’s famous beverages
(225 East 60th Street). Whether you go for their classic
‘Frrrozen’ Hot Chocolate or the hot ‘Serendipitous Hot Chocolate (with whipped
cream, grated Valley orange, cinnamon and shaved French chocolate), sitting in
the café made famous by Bea’s favourite film, gazing out at the snow-covered
Manhattan street, has to be a truly special New York Christmas experience!

I’ll Take New York is
published on 4th December by Avon (HarperCollins) in sparkly
paperback, ebook and audio versions.